Increasing Odds by Trying

Jared McGriff

Part of the Recent Acquisition Highlights

The acquisition of the large oil on canvas painting, titled Increasing Odds by Trying, 2021 is an exciting opportunity for OMA, building on themes of figuration, representation, inclusivity, diversity, affirmation, and the spirit of community, with a fresh new contemporary perspective. This acquisition enhances the OMA collection and provides excellent opportunities for to engage local and regional audiences. This acquisition is also a testimony to the museum’s efforts to showcase and support the work of talented Florida-based artists, initiated through its reputable annual Florida Prize in Contemporary Art exhibition. McGriff has received a steadily increasing level of national and international attention, and the Orlando Museum of Art is proud and delighted to add this extraordinary painting to its permanent collection. The piece was included in the museum’s major fall exhibition, American Journey, in September of 2022.

Jared McGriff (b. 1977, Los Angeles, CA) received his BA in architecture from the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley in 1999 and his MBA in Finance from New York University in 2008. His work is held in the permanent collections of the Rubell Museum, ICA Miami, NSU Art Museum, Jorge Perez’s El Espacio 23, Beth Rudin DeWoody’s The Bunker, The Knight Foundation, Green Family Art Foundation, and Miami-Dade County Art in Public Places as well as in several important private collections. In 2021, McGriff had his debut museum solo exhibition, Where We Are You, at NSU Art Museum, curated by Bonnie Clearwater. He has been featured in museum group exhibitions at ICA Miami and The Florida Prize in Contemporary Art exhibition at the Orlando Museum of Art. Solo exhibitions of his works have been presented at Spinello Projects in 2019 and 2020 and featured in solo booth presentations at Expo Chicago, 2022, and The Armory Art Show (upcoming). He was the recipient of the Orlando Museum of Art’s Florida Prize in Contemporary Art award 2022. He lives and works in Miami and is represented by Spinello Projects.